Black Lightning: First Look at Thunder in Costume

CBR

By Tim Adams

Published Jan 4, 2018

A new photo for The CW series features Nafessa Williams -- who plays Black Lightning's older daughter -- as her superhero alter ego, Thunder.

The CW has released the first look at Nafessa Williams as Thunder, Anissa Pierce's crime-fighting alter ego in Black Lightning.

Thunder's superhero costume stays close to her father's, with Thunder choosing to wear goggles similar to Black Lightning in order to hide her secret identity. Her sides and belt are lined with the pattern of a tremor on the Richter scale, bringing to mind her superpower to create shock waves, thereby replicating the feel of "thunder." Also, Anissa's belt has the letter T for her codename.

Black Lightning -- Image BLK_FIRST_LOOK_THUNDER.jpg -- Pictured: Nafessa Williams as Thunder -- Photo: Bob Mahoney/The CW -- © 2018 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.

Black Lightning focuses on retired superhero Jefferson Pierce’s reemergence as the titular hero. First debuting in Black Lightning #1, the character was created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden in 1977. Black Lightning can fire electric bolts from his hands and create a protective forcefield at will. At first, he was described as having no superpowers, but this was later retconned so that his powers were derived from the metagene. Thunder was created by Judd Winick and Tom Raney, and debuted in 2003's Outsiders #1.

In the series, Jefferson is a high school principal with two daughters who is grappling with his crimefighting past. Jefferson stepped away from the superhero lifestyle because of what it did to his family, but now a new threat has taken hold in his neighborhood, prompting him to once again don his superpowered persona.

Debuting Tuesday, January 16, Black Lightning stars Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning, China Anne McClain as his younger daughter Jennifer Pierce, Nafessa Williams as his older daughter Anissa Pierce, Christine Adams as Lynn Pierce, James Remar as Peter Gambi, Damon Gupton as Henderson, Marvin “Krondon” Jones III as Tobias Whale and Chantal Thuy as Grace Choi.